The New Misty
by J.Alberghini
Summary: Chapter Seven: The End! The End! The last chapter. All seems hopeless for Misty. Or is it?
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. If it did, I would probably be a millionaire by now. But it doesn't, so I'm not.

Chapter One

Narrator: Ash and his friends are still traveling on their journey to Johto. But now is a good time to rest, relax and get in touch with the people back home.

"Bye, professor. Say hi to Tracy for us." Ash hung up with Professor Oak. He, along with Brock, Misty, and Pikachu had stopped at a Pokémon Center. "Okay guys, let's go."

"Pika!" Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder. 

"Wait a minute!" Misty cried. They all looked at her in surprise. 

"What's the matter?" asked Brock.

"Other people would like to use the phone too, you know," she huffed. She picked up the receiver. "Do you mind?"

"Sure, we'll just go talk with Nurse Joy," Brock said, his eyes getting that all too familiar look. Ash groaned and, seeing as Misty couldn't do it, pulled him by the ear to a nearby couch.

"How much farther do we have to go to the next gym, Brock?" Ash asked.

Brock pulled out his map and looked it over. "It'll be a couple more days, that is, if we don't get distracted."

"And if Team Rocket doesn't show up and try to steal Pikachu." Ash glanced at his shoulder. Pikachu was gone. "Where'd he go?" Ash looked under the couch, and overturned the cushions, knocking over the coffee table in front of him. He finally spotted Pikachu, playing with Togepi by Misty's feet. He breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Ahem, now that that's settled, do you mind putting everything back in its place?" Nurse Joy stood over him. The floor was covered with papers that were once in orderly piles of the coffee table. 

"Sorry." Ash blushed and began picking up the cushions; careful not to get them in the soda he'd also spilled. 

"I absolutely agree. Pokémon need completely cleanliness to heal. I personally hate clutter. Maybe later, we could get together and fix up this place," Brock suggested, drooling on her uniform. 

Ash sweatdropped and knocked him down with a pillow. "Hey, I wonder why Misty never tried--" He was answered with a pillow whacking him in the face. 

Misty was fuming. "Why I ought to…"

"What happened?" Ash asked. He was tangled with Brock on the floor. 

"My sisters said to call every once in a while, just to check in, so they can see how I'm doing, blah blah blah. So, I call them, right?"

"Uh, right," Brock answered, rubbing his head where it hit the ground. 

"And Violet tells me, the first words out of her mouth, do you know what the first words out of her mouth were?" Misty demanded. 

Ash scratched his head. "Um, no, I don't. Why don't you tell us?"

"The first words out of her mouth aren't 'how are you?' or 'it's good to hear from you.' No. They are 'We just got a modeling contract.' Can you believe that?"

"What's so bad about that?" Brock asked. "Maybe she was just excited and wanted to share the good news."

Misty frowned. "That's what I thought at first. But guess what she said next."  
"Tell us," Ash begged. He was getting annoyed, but he didn't want to get hit again either.

"She said 'Too bad you're not beautiful like we are, or else you could've joined us.'" Misty was so angry, she hit both of them, even though they were innocent. 

"Um, well…" Ash tried to think of a supportive comment that wouldn't result in an injury. "Uh, since when do you listen to them?" He mentally hit himself. _That was supportive?_

"I'd listen to them anytime," Brock said dreamily, thinking of the self-proclaimed Sensational Sisters. 

Ash expected her to hit him again, but Misty wasn't even listening. Her eyes were fixed on something on the wall. 

"So, let's go," he said, changing the subject. 

Misty turned back to him. "Huh? What?" she said distractedly. "Um, you guys go ahead. I have something I have to do first."

Ash started to protest, but Brock stopped him. "Let's let her cool down for a little while."

Ash shrugged and glanced at Misty. She waved him away. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Uh, okay." Ash wasn't sure about leaving her alone, but he figured Brock was probably right. 

"We'll see you later then. Come on Pikachu." Pikachu left Togepi, looking confused. "Pika pi?" he asked. 

"Don't worry, they'll join up with us later. Right Brock?" Ash didn't get an answer. He turned around. 

"Until we meet again," Brock said, clasping poor Nurse Joy's hands in his own. 

"Come _on_, Brock." Ash dragged him out the door. 

"Bye guys," Misty said softly. She picked up Togepi, who waved his little arms gleefully. 

* * * * * *


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. 

Chapter Two

Ash and Brock walked along the road, Pikachu trotting a little way ahead of them. Ash mostly kept his eyes on the ground, every so often glancing behind them. 

"What's the matter, Ash?" Brock asked. "You seem so quiet."

Ash shrugged. "I was just thinking." 

"About what?" he persisted. He knew Ash wasn't one to be deep in thought for very long periods of time, unless it was something really serious.

"Misty seemed really mad about her sisters, don't you think?"

Brock considered it for a moment. "Yeah, they really don't get along, do they?" he said, recalling their brief visits to Cerulean City. Daisy, Violet, and Lily could push her buttons better than anyone, even Ash did. 

"Uh, no, they don't," Ash replied, not realizing it was a rhetorical question. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine though," Brock reassured him. "She just needs time to cool down."

Ash sighed. "Maybe you're right. But she seemed a little upset, too. I wonder where she went." Brock shrugged. 

"Pika!" Pikachu scampered back to them. He jumped up and down wildly. 

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked. He bent down to his Pokémon's level. "Is something the matter?" Pikachu pointed at the bend in the road. "What? Did you see something?"

Pikachu bobbed his head and ran forward. Ash and Brock followed him. As they caught up with him, they heard an odd croaking sound. 

"Hey, look at that!" Ash exclaimed. Pikachu stood at the edge of a large pond. And sitting on lily pads with their backs to them, croaking noisily, were…

Ash whipped out his Pokédex. "Politoed. The evolved form of Poliwhirl. This Pokémon makes a distinctive sound, which attracts its pre-evolved forms." Sure enough, swimming and wading in the water around them were about 5 Poliwag and a couple of Poliwhirl. 

"Cool! I've gotta catch one." Ash reached in his backpack for his Pokéballs. "Hey, I know! I'll get one for Misty. That'll cheer her up." 

"Are you sure about that?" Brock asked cautiously. "Maybe she'll want to wait and catch it for herself, or for her own to evolve."

Ash shook his head. "Nah. Then she'll have two. Two Pokémon are better than one, as I always say."

"I thought the saying goes 'Two heads are better than one,'" Brock said skeptically, "and when did you ever say that?"

Ash ignored him. "Pikachu, thunderbolt!"

"PikaaaaCHU!" Pikachu shocked two Politoed before they even knew what was happening. Both fell into the water. "Pokéball, go!" Ash threw the two Pokéballs, which opened and captured the unconscious Politoeds. 

"I know you said two's better than one, but why'd you capture two for Misty?" Brock asked him. 

Ash looked at him sheepishly. "Well, I figured, might as well get one for myself while we're here…"

* * * * * *

Brock and Ash continued through the forest, the two Politoeds in his backpack. Misty still hadn't joined up with them. Secretly, Ash was starting to get a little worried about her. He got even more worried when it started to rain. But not just plain old rain. This was a full-blown thunderstorm. 

"I hope Misty finds shelter," Brock commented, voicing Ash's own thoughts. "We'd better do the same."

"Right." They ran for what seemed like miles as the rain poured down on them. Finally they came to a clearing. 

"Look, there's a building!" Ash cried. They ran up to the door. There was a big window next to it. Hanging over it, there was a sign that read "O'Hair Beauty Salon."

"A beauty salon!" Ash said, horrified. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I'd rather get soaked in the rain."

"You are soaked in the rain." Brock reminded him. "Come on, it can't be that bad. I bet there are lots of pretty girls in there." He knocked on the door before Ash could continue protesting. It swung open a crack and a hand pulled both of them inside. Pikachu slipped in before it could close. 

It was more or less a normal beauty salon. Two teenage girls sat under a hair dryer. Another was combing her Ninetales, the only Pokémon in the entire place. A red-haired girl sat with her back to them. Standing in a row in front of the boys was three girls. All of them were extremely tall, and wore their blue hair in a single braid to the side and with a flower stuck in it. They wore identical blue dresses and looked exactly alike. 

"I'm Combya," said the girl still gripping onto Ash's shoulder, as if she didn't want him to escape. 

"I'm Rinsya," said the one next to her. 

"And I'm Spraya," added the last. 

"We're the O'Hair triplets. Welcome to the O'Hair Beauty Salon!" they said in unison. Had Ash been free to move, he would have bolted out the door instantly. No good could come of this. He was right. 

"Would you like a manicure?" continued Combya. 

"A pedicure?" asked Rinsya.

"A facial?" asked Spraya. 

"How 'bout a buzz cut?" "A crew cut?" "Or any kind of hair cut?"  
"How about a date?" Brock asked, drooling. 

"No, no, no, no, no, no and _no_! We don't want any of that," Ash said, holding Brock back. "We just wanted a place to stay until the rain stops."

"Sure, no problem," said one of them, he'd already forgotten which. He had no intention of asking Brock, even though he probably could tell them apart, just like every single Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny in the world. He didn't want to get him started. 

Pikachu sniffed the air. "Pika?" he asked, confused. 

"Ah, a mouse!" screamed the triplets. They all hopped onto the cash register. 

"He's not a mouse, he's a Pokémon." Ash picked him up. "He won't hurt you, right Pikachu?" Pikachu squirmed to get out of his grip. "Pikachu, what's the matter with you?"

"Pika… chuuu!" He shocked Ash and the girls as well. 

"Why's he acting so weird?" he asked, setting him back on the tile floor. 

Brock shrugged. Pikachu ran over and jumped onto the redhead. 

"Pikachu!" Ash was answered by a very familiar "Togepi!"

The girl turned around. She had her hair the same style as the sisters, with a white lily pinned to it. She had on blush, eye make-up, and a sea green sleeveless dress. But Ash knew her in an instant. "Misty?"

* * * * * *


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. 

Chapter Three

Jesse, James and Meowth trudged through the forest. They were soaked to the bone and getting wetter by the minute. James carried a broken umbrella in his hand. Jesse held a dripping newspaper over her head and Meowth wore old, ripped galoshes.

"Pikachu is so not worth this," Jesse complained, tossing her newspaper into a bush. "Look what the rain has done to me! I'm a mess."  
"Yeah, I know." James said drearily. "It's totally messing up my do."

"_Your_ do?" Meowth spat at him. "I look like a drowned rat! I hate water."

"We're in desperate need of a makeover," Jesse commented. "Hey, look at that building."  
James took out his binoculars and peered through them. "O'Hair Beauty Salon," he read.

"James, do you realize what this means?" she squealed, instantly perking up. 

"We can get out of this rain?" he suggested.

"No! We can get our hair done," she replied, fetching her newspaper so she could hit him with it. "Oh, I can just see it now," she said dreamily. She imagined herself with her hair in a bun with a jeweled crown in it and wearing a fancy dress. "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest one of all? Why, Jesse, you are of course," she replied in a deep voice.

James and Meowth stared at her. "Yeah, right. It'd take a miracle to do that," said Meowth. Jesse turned her newspaper on him. He retaliated with his claws.

Meanwhile, James was drifting off into his own fantasy. All his hair was sticking up, like Pikachu had just shocked him. He strummed an air guitar. "Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light. Surrender now, or prepare to fight…" he crooned. 

Meowth took his nail and burst his bubble. "I know what I'd like." He pictured himself on someone's lap, being brushed while he purred loudly. 

"Let's do it," Jesse said excitedly. 

"But what about mon-" James began. 

"Oh, we'll think about that later," she snapped. She grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him into the open. Meowth trailed behind, tripping over his boots, which were too big for him. They crept up to the window and saw a very familiar yellow tail inside. 

"Look, it's Pikachu!" James exclaimed. 

"Shh!" Jesse and Meowth smacked him.

"I don't see the twerp," Meowth observed. "But he must be there too."

"JAMES, THIS IS THE PERFECT OPORTUNITY!!!!!" Jesse shouted. 

James looked at her; his face with a red handprint on one cheek and scratch marks on the other. "Don't tell me 'Shh,' when you're just as loud…"

"Oh, be quiet!" She pushed him to the ground. "If we steal Pikachu, we can give him to the boss. He'll give us a nice big bonus, and we can get the haircuts of our dreams!"

"All right!" they cheered. They stared for the door.

"Wait a second! We have to come up with a plan first." Meowth said.

"Oh, right." They huddled together, whispering loudly.

* * * * * *


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I'm too poor for Pokémon to belong to me.

Chapter Four

"Ash! Brock! What are you guys doing here?" Misty asked, as shocked as they were. She looked embarrassed, like she'd been caught doing something wrong.

"We came here to get away from the rain," Ash replied. "What are you doing here?"

Before she could answer, Brock pushed in from of him. "You know misty, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

Misty frowned and made a grab for his ear before she realized what she attempted to do would be impossible.

"What are you dressed up like that?" Ash asked her. He coughed. "Are you wearing perfume?"  
"Yup. Do you like it?"

"Ugh! No!" He sputtered and gagged, then held his nose. 

Misty glared at him. "You know, Ash Katchum, sometimes you have no taste at all." She raised her hand to slap him, but one of the sisters stopped her. 

"Misty, that isn't very ladylike," she scolded. 

"Oh, sorry, Spraya. My bad." She turned to Ash. "Sorry about that."

Ash's jaw dropped. "Since when do you apologize to me? And since when are you worried about being ladylike? Misty, are you feeling okay?"   
Misty put her hands behind her back to prevent herself from hurting him. She glanced over at the other girls, who were now filing their nails and not paying any attention. "I'm fine. In case you haven't noticed," she hissed, "I am a girl. I don't see what's wrong with acting like a proper young lady. And I think I look very nice, thank you very much."

"It just isn't you…" Ash began.

Misty was furious. "Why do people think I'm a stupid tomboy? I'm just as pretty as my sisters."  
"Oh, that's what this is about," he realized, the pieces coming together in his head. "But you're pr- well, you're fine just the way you are."

"Is that so?" she fumed. "Then why do you get embarrassed whenever people think I'm your girlfriend, huh? Tell me that."

"Because I…" Ash started to say, but he stopped himself. "You get embarrassed too."

"That's different," she replied. "It's because you're an immature little…"

"Misty!" cried everyone in the beauty salon, except for Ash and Brock.

She blushed and glanced up at the clock hung on the wall. "Well, look at the time. Let's go to bed!"

The sisters nodded and pulled back a velvet curtain to reveal exactly 10 beds, 9 large ones and one smaller one. Each of them had a brass headboard and two fluffy down pillows. They looked exceedingly comfortable, but there was one problem: They were all pink. But Ash was too baffled, too wet, and too exhausted to be picky right now. 

"Wow, is this for all of your family?" Ash asked. 

Rinsya shook her head. "Not anymore. This place was passed down from generation to generation. It belonged to my mom and her sisters, and before that, my grandmother and her sisters. But we didn't want to sleep in their beds, so we brought our own. Our guest stay in the spare ones."

Ash though they all looked to the same to him and it didn't make much sense, but he decided to leave it be, he was already in enough trouble as it was. Instead, he asked, "What's that little bed for?"

"That's for my Ninetails," her trainer spoke up, putting down the brush. "We all come here everyday, anyway, so we may as well stay overnight as well. It's like a sleepover everyday."

Ash made a face at the thought of staying in a smelly beauty salon every night. Already, the fumes from the hair spray were getting to him. "Well, I guess it is rather late." He hoped that, if he went to bed now, he would awake to find out that this was all a terrible nightmare. 

The others nodded. All the girls, including Misty, who placed Togepi on her pillow, went into the bathroom to change. Each of them came out in frilly pink nightgowns with curlers in their hair. They turned down the sheets and hopped into bed.

"Well, I guess these are ours," Brock said, unmaking the remaining ones and climbing into bed himself. He had changed into his nicest blue pajamas. Ash was still in his black shirt and jeans. 

"Yeah, I guess so." Ash glanced over at Misty, who was already snoring lightly. Fighting was normal for them, but she was acting so strange. "I wish she would go back to the way she was." Ash chuckled. "I never thought I would say that." He set his backpack and jacket down at the foot of the bed. 

__

Oh, I almost forgot about the Politoed. I'll put it under her pillow. Then she won't be mad at me anymore, and maybe she'll be normal again.

Ash tiptoed over to her bed, Pikachu at his heels. "Looks like the Pokémon fairy is visiting tonight." 

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu jumped onto their bed and curled up on the pillow. Ash lay down next to him.

"Sweet dreams, Pikachu."

"Pikachu," he murmured in reply. Ash closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me.

Chapter Five

"Ah!" The scream awoke everyone in the beauty parlor and probably the rest of the town too. All except for Ash.

"Pika-pi?" Pikachu poked him. "Pika pi!" He rolled over. "PikaCHUU!" A burst of electricity ran through his whole body. That woke him up. 

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" he asked sleepily. 

"Eew!" All of the girls, except for Misty, were standing on top of their beds. 

"Gross, a frog!" Combya shrieked. Ash looked at where she was pointing. The Politoed he caught for Misty sat at the foot of it, croaking loudly. 

"Aw! Isn't it cute?" Misty bent down to pick it up.

"Misty, don't touch that thing!" shouted Spraya.

"Huh? Oh, right, frogs, yuck. Bad, bad, bad." She set it down reluctantly.

"Where'd it come from?" asked Rinsya.

Misty sat on her bed. "Ouch!" She pulled back the covers to reveal Politoed's Pokéball. "Who put this here?" she wondered. Ash started to tiptoe to the door, but he was too late. "Ash!"  
"That's like, so immature," said Combya. "Playing practical jokes like that."

"First of all, it's not a frog, it's a Pokémon," Ash said defensively. "And it wasn't a joke. It was a gift. Misty seemed like she needed cheering up and I thought she would like one. That's all."

"Well, thanks, but no that's. Politoed, return!" She handed him the Pokéball.

Ash looked at her as if she were crazy. "But you love water Pokémon," he protested. Now this was strange. He could understand her dressing up. He could even understand her trying to control her temper and thought it was a good idea. But giving up a Pokémon? That was sheer lunacy. _What happened to becoming the world's greatest water Pokémon trainer?_ He wondered.

"Well, I won't need it anymore," she replied.

"What do you mean?" Brock asked. "If you're going to be a water Pokémon master, you should catch all the Pokémon you can." Clearly, he was thinking along the same lines as Ash was.

"I've changed my mind. I'm not going to be a Pokémon trainer anymore. All I do if follow you guys anyway, and it's done nothing. I'm staying right here."

Ash's jaw dropped. He could see refusing a Pokémon, just one, particularly this one. She could just wait for her own to evolve, as Brock said. But give up everything? He couldn't imagine life without Pokemon. And he couldn't imagine this journey without her. Who would cheer him on in the Johto league? Who would see he was doing something stupid and not tell him so? Brock would be around, but it wasn't the same. Misty had been with him since the beginning. It was almost as bad as not having Pikachu. He wouldn't stand for it. The question was how to talk her out of it. "Stay here? But what are you going to then?"

Misty shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'll become a model like my sisters, or perhaps a beautician. Who knows?" The first idea should have clicked something in Ash's brain, but it didn't. Not yet anyway.

Ash frowned at her. "Well, I think you're being stupid. Give up Pokémon for hair and make-up? Typical girl. Come on; let's go Brock. We've spent enough time here already." If that was how Ash planned to talk her into going back with them it wasn't the brightest of ideas. Ash had yet to learn when to watch his mouth. It tended to produce the opposite result of what he wanted.

"Fine, go. I don't need you. Get out of here," she said. She pointed towards the door.

"Wait, can't I get your number first?" Brock asked the girls. Hearts were in his eyes. Spraya wiped his drool off her shirt with a tissue. Ash rolled his eyes. Since Misty couldn't do it, he grabbed him by the ear and dragged him towards the exit. 

"Let's go, Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, sadly waving to Togepi as they walked out. Ash slammed the door behind them without even saying goodbye.

Misty gulped to hold back a sob. Combya put a hand on her arm. 

"You don't need them anymore," she said. "Who wants to hang around those little boys anyway?"

"Yeah, who needs them?" the others chorused.

Misty picked up Togepi and hugged him close. _Do I?_ She thought. She wasn't so sure.


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. All original characters do.

Author's note: I actually wrote this a long time ago (yes, I'm lazy, I know) so it may be slightly out of date.

Chapter Six

"I can't believe her!" Ash fumed. He stomped through the forest. "Give up Pokémon. What on earth could she be thinking?"

Brock shrugged. "She's probably just going through a phase. She sees her sisters being all pretty and ladylike and she wants to be like that too. It must've been hard living with them and being called a tomboy all your life. Now they're all big super models and she's in their shadow again. We just don't understand."  
"Yeah, girls are too silly." Ash muttered. He kicked a rock in the dirt. It bounced off Pikachu's head. "Oops, sorry Pikachu."

"Pika?" he said dazed, his eyes spinning around in his head.

Brock sweat-dropped. "I think you're missing my point. What I meant was, besides the fact that we're both guys, you are an only child and I'm the oldest. We've had a lot of attention focused on us. Now, oftentimes that happens to the youngest too, but Misty's a special case. She always had the three of them ganging up on her."

Ash sighed. "Maybe you're right, Brock. But to stay there? She could've done the same things and still keep Pokémon and travel with us. What's so great about them, anyway? What do they got that I don't got?" He blushed when he realized his words. "I mean, we."

"Hmm." Brock examined him carefully.

"What's the big idea?" he asked, ducking his head to avoid Brock's intense gaze.

"You know Ash, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."

"Jealous of who? Those freaks? No way," he denied. But he still wouldn't look at him and that only confirmed Brock's suspicions. 

"Come on, admit it. You miss her."

"I DO NOT!" he protested loudly.

Brock put his fingers in his ears. "No need to yell. It's okay if you like her, Ash. It's perfectly natural for you to start getting interested in girls. You know, I was just like you when I was your age."

Ash gagged. "I am NOT going to start getting all gooey like you do. Especially not over Misty."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "But I don't know. I always thought she liked you." He sauntered off, smirking to himself.

Ash made an about face. "What? Why? Did she say something to you?"

"No, I just thought…" 

Ash pulled him by the shirt, nearly lifting him off the ground. "Tell me!"

"Okay, okay, okay. Just put me down." Ash let him go. "Sheesh I was just going to say that when boys and girls around your age fight all the time like you do, it sometimes means that you like each other. That's what I've assumed. You guys may get on each other's nerves on the outside, but inside you two care a lot about each other."

"Well, yeah, we're friends." Ash sighed. They walked on in silence for a bit. "You really think she likes me?"

Brock nodded. "Yeah. And you like her, right?"

Ash bit his lip. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm not admitting anything, so forget it."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's supposed to know. Tell her when you figure it out, not me. Or show her at least," He strolled down the road.

"I can't believe I'm getting advice from Brock," he muttered. He surveyed the path around him and realization struck him. "Hey, where are we?" 

Brock took out his map. "Well, we left from there… and we went to the right… oh, I don't know."  
Ash groaned. "Oh great, now we're lost." He went to sit on a boulder, but missed and landed in the mud.

Pikachu sweat-dropped. "Pikaa."

"Now, now, don't panic," Brock said calmly. "Let's just retrace our steps.'

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He stood, ignoring the dirt on the seat of his pants.

Pikachu's ears perked up. "Pika?"  
"What's the matter, Pikachu?"  
"Pika-pika!" He stood up and ran the other way. 

"Pikachu, come back!" Ash and Brock tore after him, deep into the forest. 

* * * * * *

Misty picked up a hairbrush and looked in the mirror. She brushed listlessly. "Do you think I did the right thing, Togepi?"

"Togepi!" he replied. 

Misty patted his pointy-head. "I guess you don't really care one way or the other. But you'll probably miss Pikachu, right?"

"Togepi?" he asked, looking around the room, most likely for Pikachu.

"Yeah, I'll miss them too." Misty sighed. Just then, she heard the tinkling of a bell signaling a customer. Two women in knee-length, flower-print dresses and cats-eye glasses came in carrying big pink suitcases. They looked like 60s hippies going to a disco. One had a humped back.

"May I help you?" the sisters asked in unison.

The question is," said one of them, the one with the flaming red hair, "can we help you?" She opened up her suitcase to reveal an assortment of different kinds of make-up.

The blue haired woman came over to Misty. "Why's a pretty little girl like you looking so glum for?"

"Well, I…" Misty began.

"Aw, I bet some stupid, no good jerk broke your heart, didn't he? Let me guess, a Pokemon trainer," cooed the redhead.

"Not exactly, but…"

The woman sighed. "Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, even me."

Her companion raised her eyebrow at her. "No kidding." She received a glare in return for that comment.

The other woman ignored her. "Where is this boy that did you wrong? I'll give him a piece of my mind." She looked around. "Hey, where's the twerp?"

"Excuse me?" Misty asked. Something seemed fishy about this.

"You idiot, you're going to blow our cover!" hissed a voice from the hump. And a very familiar voice it was, too.

"Hey wait a minute!" Misty exclaimed. "You're Team Rocket!"

"Meowth!" exclaimed the red head. "Prepare for trouble!" she began.

"Make it double!" The other chimed in. They pulled off their dresses to reveal their Team Rocket uniforms.

"To protect the world from devastation."  
"To unite all people within our nation."  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."  
"To extend our reach to the stars above."  
"Jesse." "James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light." 

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight."

Meowth flipped over James and landed skillfully on his feet. "Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!" Jesse's Wobbuffet popped out of his Pokéball.

"Get back in there!" Jesse yelled at him, returning him inside. She took out another Pokéball. "Arbok, go!"

"Victreebel!" The plant grabbed James and put him in his mouth. 

"Hey, watch the hair!" came James' muffled cry.

"Now twerpette, where's the twerp and his Pikachu?"

"Not here. And even if I knew where he was, I wouldn't tell you. I choose you, Staryu!" Misty threw her Pokéball, but instead of Staryu…

"Psy?" Psyduck put his hand to his forehead. So did Misty.

__

I wish I had that Politoed around now, she thought to herself.

Jesse laughed. "Time for Plan B."  
"What's Plan B?" James whispered to her.

"Follow my lead," she hissed. "We'll make you a little bargain. You give us Pikachu…"  
"No way!" Misty cried.

"And we'll give you back your precious Togepi. Victreebel, vine whip!" He grabbed Togepi.

"Give him back, you old hag!" 

"What did you call me?" Jesse growled. She took Togepi. "So, do we have a deal?" 

Misty frowned. If she used one of her Pokemon, it might miss and hit Togepi. But if she didn't, they could hurt him themselves. _What am I supposed to do now?_

To be continued


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Pokemon does not belong to me.

Author's Note: This fic is _way_ out of date. A year at least. Back at the beginning of Johto. I'm too lazy to change it. And if I did, it would never be finished. So just bear with me.

Chapter Seven

Misty glared at them, standing her ground, trying to ignore the churning in her stomach. Team Rocket was grinning from ear to ear (or in Meowth's case, whisker to whisker). 

"Tick tock," Jesse said. Togepi squealed and wriggled in her arms.

"Pika--CHUU!" A jolt of electricity ran through Team Rocket. They screamed with pain. Togepi flew out of Jesse's arms and into Misty's. Ash and Brock ran over to her. 

"Are you okay, Misty?" Ash asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, we're fine. Thanks." She smiled, making him blush.

"Aw, it was nothing," he replied, both embarrassed and pleased at her gratitude.

James' wish had come true, in a way. His hear nearly touched the ceiling still under the effects of Pikachu's thunderbolt attack. Jesse, whose hair stood completely on end, scowled at Ash.

"It figures you'd come and help your girlfriend. Give us Pikachu!"

"No way," Ash replied. "Pikachu, Thunder Shock!"

"Pika!" Another burst of energy was aimed at Team Rocket. In all the confusion, they'd forgotten the special anti-shock equipment they'd prepared a few days ago, which, coincidentally, doubled as rain gear. They ran out the door with the children following in hot pursuit. Team Rocket's balloon was right outside waiting for them. They hopped in and lifted off.

"You aren't getting away that easily," Ash shouted at them. "Heracross, I choose you!" He threw his Pokéball and Heracross flew towards Team Rocket. "Horn attack!"

Heracross charged at the balloon, but it had no effect. 

Jesse and James laughed. "It'll take more than that to ground Team Rocket," said Meowth.

"Oh, yeah?" Misty shot back. She grabbed another Pokéball from her backpack, which she'd brought outside with her. "Staryu, go!"

This time, the right Pokemon did appear. "Hey, Ash," she said, "How about giving Staryu a boost?"

He nodded. "Heracross!" The Pokemon made an about face and scooped up Staryu off the ground.

"Staryu, double edge attack!" Staryu spun in the air and ripped a large whole in the balloon. It began to drop towards the ground.

Team Rocket screamed. "Ah, we're sinking, we're sinking, we're sinking!"

Ash grinned. "Not for long. Heracross, horn attack!" Heracross butted the basket and tossed it high in the air, sending Team Rocket flying.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried. A star twinkled in the distance.

Ash and Misty gave each other a high five. "We did it!"

"You guys make a pretty good team," Brock commented.

They looked at each other and grinned. 

"Hey," Misty said, realizing something. "You didn't get annoyed when she called me your girlfriend."

Ash blushed. "Well, yeah…. We'd better get going," he said quickly. 

"Wait a second!" Misty cried. She thrust Togepi into Brock's arms. "Be right back." She ran inside, pushing past the O'Hair triplets, who'd been watching from the window, looks of horror plastered on their faces.

"What's she up to?" Ash wondered. Brock shrugged. 

Misty came out, dressed in her normal, everyday tank top and shorts, her hair sticking up in a ponytail on one side. Her backpack was on her back. "I'm coming with you."

"But you said…" Brock began.

She shook her head. "I changed my mind. I was stupid before. Give up Pokemon, I must've been nuts."

"You got that right," Ash blurted out.

"EXCUSE ME?" she thundered. Pikachu hid behind Ash's leg in fear.

Ash sweatdropped. "I, um, I meant…"

"Why, you…!" Misty chased him down the road. Brock and Pikachu followed, Brock still carrying Togepi.

Narrator: Well, everything's normal again. Misty's back on the road with the boys, Team Rocket "blasted off again" again, and everything is nice and peaceful for the time being.

"Come back here you little brat!" 

Narrator: Well, then again, maybe not.

The End


End file.
